July 24, 2024

Our Oxygen

July 24, 2024/ Staff

For a bare-bones operation like Positively Filipino, contributing writers are the oxygen of our existence. There are over a hundred of them listed on our website. Some are friends and former colleagues, but a large number started out as total strangers who reached out to ask if they could write for PF.

Take Dr. Patricio Abinales, a friend of ours from our alma mater, who is now with the University of Hawaii in Manoa. Jojo is one of our regulars, willing to take on assignments, eager to write reviews of books dealing with Philippine politics (among others). In this issue, he looks at a newly launched book, Unrequited Love: Duterte's China Embrace, by ace journalists Marites D. Vitug and Camille Elemia.

Gary Ferrington, a retired University of Oregon professor, is one of those who wrote to us out of the blue, asking if we were interested in profiles of three young, relatively unknown Filipino singers. Gary is a writer for Oregon ArtsWatch and identifies himself as an advocate for emerging artists. We have published two of his articles (on Francis Greg and Bugoy Drilon) and we have his third -- and final -- contribution this week, on a gifted Cebuano cover singer, Anthony Uy.

Odette Foronda, based in Toronto, is a world traveler and adventurer, who regularly contributes enticing travel essays that include her stunning photographs. Here she focuses on her adventure in Siargao in Surigao, one of the Philippines' most visited destinations for water sports.

With these three and the more than 100 other contributing writers, Positively Filipino survives and thrives as a chronicler of the Filipino diaspora, and a valuable repository of some of the best journalism pieces ever written.

We are ever so grateful.

Stories This Week

China And Duterte: ‘Who’s Your Daddy?’ by Patricio Abinales

Fil-Ams Among The Remarkable And Famous, Part 59 by Mona Lisa Yuchengco

Anthony Uy: A Musical Journey Rooted In Family And Faith by Gary Ferrington

Why Did The Chickens Go To Siargao? by Odette Foronda

[Video of the Week] Sylvia La Torre, Diomedes Maturan and Bobby Gonzales

In The Know

Jollibee named best fast food fried chicken by USA Today
https://asamnews.com/2024/07/18/jollibee-chickenjoy-ranked-number-1-in-united-states-usa-today-editors/

Filipino workers have among worst work-life balance – report
https://www.rappler.com/philippines/score-global-life-work-balance-index-2024/

15 Vintage Photos of Manila During the 1950s That Show What Life Was Like Back Then
https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/lifestyle/manila-1950s-photos-

How The Acolyte’s Manny Jacinto Brought Sexy Back to Star Wars
https://www.gq.com/story/manny-jacinto-the-acolyte-finale-interview?

Who Was Benson Flores, the First Filipino in Canada?
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/benson-flores-the-first-filipino-in-canada-

Anti-Asian Hate Watch

Former Bentonville fire captain pleads guilty to assaulting Asian man
https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/former-bentonville-fire-captain-pleads-guilty-to-assaulting-asian-man/

Rash of vandalism at Muslim Center raises fear of hate crime
https://asamnews.com/2024/07/18/tibayan-center-st-anthony-targeted-for-vandalism-minnesota/

Seattle interim police chief fires officer who made ‘vile’ comments
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/seattle-interim-police-chief-fires-officer-who-made-vile-comments/

Funding provided by the State of California.

July 17, 2024

Sailing for Peace in Troubled Waters

July 17, 2024/ Staff

The turmoil in the West Philippine Sea (WFS) has roiled the Philippine defense establishment and has sadly surfaced long-simmering anti-Chinese prejudices among Filipinos. How can one not be angry when watching the YouTube videos of the Chinese Coast Guard training powerful water cannons on Philippine Coast Guard ships, blocking Filipino fishermen from fishing in Philippine waters (as confirmed in 2016 by the arbitral ruling of the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Seas) and, in a recent episode, surrounding and destroying with pickaxes and poles the Philippine Navy rubber boats carrying survival supplies for the Marines stationed in BRP Sierra Madre?

But war with China is not an option, even with the proclaimed full support of the more militarily superior United States for the Philippines. How best to conduct a David-and-Goliath struggle without the use of military force? Popular political pundit Ronald Llamas says civilian mass actions on the sea are best; they perplex the Chinese military because they cannot be seen as aggressors to civilians (and therefore have to maintain distance), and they send a calm and friendly message to the Chinese people that the Filipino people are not against them but rather against their government's policies. A highly nuanced approach no doubt that may or may not be lost on the intended recipients.

Atin Ito!, a project led by Akbayan Philippines, is a civilian activity that has sent two supply missions to the WFS bringing aid to Filipino fisherfolk. The first took place last December [Defying Goliath in the West Philippine Sea].

The second and bigger one was last May and, like the first one, our Manila-based contributing writer Robert Francis Garcia was part of the contingent. Read his blow-by-blow account of this harrowing but ultimately successful mission in this issue. And be sure to watch the beautiful video at the end of the article.

Do you agree that civilian action can be more effective than a purely military approach to counter Chinese aggression in Philippine shores? Tell us how you feel by replying to this email.

*****

People are talking about Asador Alfonso, an authentic Spanish roasting house featuring the innovative dishes of Chef Chele Gonzales in a fabulous, environmentally sensitive setting by architect/owner Carlo Calma. It's located in Alfonso, Cavite so it's a worthy weekend drive for Metro Manilans.

*****

A Filipina entrepreneur now based in Switzerland, Demee Mahinay Koch, has come out with DEMOI, her line of cruelty-free, socially relevant, and ecologically friendly beauty products. Fil-Am community leader Sonia Delen profiles this enterprising Cebuana with a mission.

*****

Our Video of the Week: a short documentary on the Philippine Rise, a collaborative production of the Daily Tribune and The Extra Mile Productions' Know Your North project.

In The Know

Without fanfare, the Philippines is getting richer
https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/04/23/without-fanfare-the-philippines-is-getting-richer?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1u-Fi7z_J0ag1U1CqxQIq2D05quqMROI9R6ncCJLeXYiyx67uFT7urhZI_aem_flAR-QQXcfYnpzqddm6c5w

Benedicto Cabrera, Filipino Artist in Flux
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/benedicto-bencab-cabrera-profile-july-a5102-20240708-lfrm2?ref=article_featured

Filipina artist to make historic debut at the Louvre in Paris this year
https://theglobalfilipinomagazine.com/filipina-artist-to-make-historic-debut-at-the-louvre-in-paris-this-year/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2y_wH1P9PJvE-gBrKw9H9-BaqyRucBb6xmItOEkwj2IYN9l3d6sWRc4VY_aem_jsU53A9JetuBXrsSqLYdGA

Citronella farmers in Agusan del Sur see bright prospects in marketing essential oil
https://mindanews.com/business/2024/07/citronella-farmers-in-agusan-del-sur-see-bright-prospects-in-marketing-essential-oil/#gsc.tab=0

67-anyos na lola, napabilang sa Top 5 sa entrance exam sa kursong Journalism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8gBrV5bu68

Anti-Asian Hate Watch

The States With the Highest Concentration of Hate Groups: All 50 Ranked
https://247wallst.com/politics/2024/07/12/the-states-with-the-highest-concentration-of-hate-groups-all-50-ranked/

Education, National Security, Gun Control, Climate, Matter To Asian American Voters
https://indiawest.com/education-national-security-gun-control-climate-matter-to-asian-american-voters/#google_vignette

More than half of Asian Canadians experienced racism, hate in past year: survey
https://www.sookenewsmirror.com/news/more-than-half-of-asian-canadians-experienced-racism-hate-in-past-year-survey-192331

Funding provided by the State of California.

July 10, 2024

Let the Games Begin

July 10, 2024/ Staff

The Olympic Games is about to begin in Paris from July 26-August 11; the Paralympics on August 28, also in Paris. For the first time, a bumper crop (28 in both competitions) of Filipino athletes are participating and some actually have a path to winning. Watch out for these names: EJ Obiena (pole-vaulting), Eumir Marcial (boxing), Carlos Yulo (gymnastics- men), and Kayla Noelle Sanchez (swimming).

2024 marks 100 years of Philippine participation in the Olympics and PF Correspondent Myles Garcia, a member of the International Society of Olympic Historians, gives us a brief history. The country's medal haul, however, is meager: 2 golds and a smattering of bronzes in the Olympics, and 1 medal in the Paralympics. Let's hope Paris will work its magic on our athletes in this year's games.

*****

Van Cliburn is arguably one of the greatest pianists that ever lived, a rock star in the classical music world with sold-out concerts worldwide, screaming fans and a ticker tape parade in New York City that dwarfed those of beauty queens and sports champions. In the 1970s, during the martial law years of Marcos the first, Van Cliburn was a mainstay in the multinational coterie of first lady Imelda. Read cultural writer Pablo Tariman's account of this great pianist's Philippine connections.

*****

There are more than 8,000 Filipinos living in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia in Canada and the community mounts one of the most colorful and collaborative celebrations for Victoria Day and Philippine Heritage Month (June, as declared by the Province of British Columbia). Fil-Can writer Megen Quigley reports.

*****

Continuing our recurrent feature on the Bridge Generation of the Fil-Am community, the generation's chronicler Peter Jamero features Joe Talaugon, born in 1930, raised and settled in California. Joe's mother was Chumash Indian and he is active in both the Fil-Am and Native American communities.

*****

We round up this issue with an op-ed piece by author/educator/activist Walden Bello on the high-stakes political divorce of the Marcos dynasty of the north and the Duterte dynasty of the south.

[Video of the Week] Stockton Museum Showcases Filipino American Heritage